The Enquirer/Brandi Stafford
Drew Matula, a 5th-grader at Mason Intermediate, sitting next to Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer while shooting a tv spot for the morning ESPN shot "Cold Pizza" at Drew's school. The 11-year-old was the local winner of the "NFL Take a Player to School" contest.

MASON ? Drew Matula, a Mason fifth grader, lived an NFL fan?s dream this morning when he greeted Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer at his home and then rode with the star in a limousine to school.

There Drew and Palmer headlined a stay-in-school and anti-alcohol pep rally, surprised his homeroom class and thrilled his classmates by walking in with one of pro football?s biggest offensive stars.

The 11-year-old was the local winner of the ?NFL Take a Player to School? contest. His name was chosen among thousands locally and nationwide who mailed in contest cards. Each of the NFL?s 32 team markets had one winning student who will be accompanied to school by one of the team?s star players.

?This is awesome,? said Drew as he waited before dawn in his Mason home for the limousine bearing Palmer.

?I couldn?t sleep last night,? he said, wearing a Bengals? jersey and hat.

Drew answered the doorbell and stared up at the six-foot-five, former college Heisman Trophy winner who towered over him.

?What?s up buddy? You ready to go to school?? asked Palmer, before meeting Drew?s family.

Accompanied by a crew from NFL films and ESPN, the two later did a live interview at the school for the national morning sports show ?Cold Pizza."

It was just before they were on national TV live when Drew sprung a surprise on Palmer and told him he was actually a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.

Carson, still smarting from Sunday?s loss to Pittsburgh, laughed and faked indignation.